Improvement in cutting apparatus for harvesters



NITED STATES kPATENT FFICE.

JAMES T. POLSON, OF LAOLEDE, MISSOURI.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 119,640, dated October 3, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Dr. JAMES T. IoLsON, of Laclede, in the county of Linn and State of Missouri, have invented a new and Improved Cutter and Fin ger-Bar for Mowing and Reaping-Machilies; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a plan or top view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same taken on the plane of the line .fr w, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same taken on the plane of the line y y, Fig. l.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

My invention relates to reapers, and more particularly to the cutters; and consists in the peculiar arrangement of a hinged plate by which the said cutters may be readily removed.

I will now describe the construction of all parts having any connection with or which will promote a more full understanding of my invention, and then clearly point it out in the claim.

A iii the drawing represents the iinger-bar. It is composed of three longitudinal plates, a, b, and c. The lower plate c carries two ribs, d and e, one in front, the other in rear, said ribs being rigidly affixed to it. The middle plate bis screwed upon the ribs d e so as to be removable. A space is thus formed between the plates a. b for the reception of the gear-wheels which actuate the cutters. B B are the fingers or guards. They are firmly afxed with their shanks to the plate a, and abut with shoulders against the front rib d, so that the recesses or slots through them will be in line with the space between the plates b c of the finger-bar. The upper plate c of the .latter is hinged to the upper portions of the guards, so that it can be readily swung up to eX- pose the cutters (l under it, while it is held down by screws f when the device is in operation, washers g being put around the screws to hold the plates sufficiently far apart. O O are the cutters. They are fitted upon upright gudgeons h h, which have their bearings in the lower plates of the finger-bar, and are to be revolved when in action. The cutters are of suitable form, having either projecting arms, as shown, or polygonal cutting-edges, or other shape. Between the plates b c is mounted, upon each gudgeon h, a toothed wheel, 'L'. The several wheels i z' are eitl ier connected with each other by intermediate gear-wheels j j, and finally also with a toothed wheel on the driving-shaft liv, so that all cutters will simultaneously and with equal velocity be revolved iii the same direction, or the wheels fi may have beveled teeth and mesh into pinions on a driving-shaft which haii gs under the 'ngerbar.

When the cutters are to be reached the plate c is swung up7 as above stated,when each cutter can be rei iioved from the squared end of the gud g eon to be resharpened, repaired, or replaced. The plateb can then also be removed to reach the gearing.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The arrangement of the covering-plate of the rotary cutters upon hinges on a projection from the iingers, as and for the purpose specified.

DR. JAMES T. POLSON.

Witnesses JOHN PoLsoN, 

